Chat continues to grow at over 1,000 visitors a week!If you are newly arriving, or a returning friend from MS Watch, MS World, Jooly's Joint, or another chat, let folks know.
It's great to catch
up on what old friends have
been up to. At the same time, we have seen that the
room
become more in touch with helping the newbie to feel welcome.
We're
getting new chatters weekly and it's very rewarding to see everyone helping out the newcomers to chat. Recent events dictate a restatement of certain facts
of life about the PeopleWithMS Chat.

Our
primary focus is
Multiple Sclerosis and our objective is support. Not just
boring
clinical information - support is under a big tent, with broad expanse
of fabric. So we have many rooms to cover the many topics
and
personal perspectives.

Remember -This
is your house as well as ours. We donate the chatroom,
and solicit no
outside sponsors:
We rely on our chatters to volunteer their
time
and effort to make this the best it can be. We keep a very
open
mind about our chat
rooms, recognizing that we are catering to a wide audience.We really don't want to make rules about
what you think is relevant help. But we do expect some display of
common sense and respect.

The Lobby is the
Town Common, where people have the least in common. So exercise restraint and
patience!

The Rooms List
covers some common general interests or attitudes,
and
special purpose rooms, so if that is what you and other chatters are
into, go there, and others may follow.

Private Messages
are for quick exchange of private or side-conversation information,
like an e-mail address, interesting web site address, or company phone
number.

Private Discussion of
personal, perhaps embarrassing physical or other issues can be taken to
a special-purpose room such as the WomenOnly, MenOnly, or OffTopic Room

Other Topicssimply
belong outside this chat. Dubious personal topics, commercial
activities, and proclivities such as media piracy
& warez,
cybersex, snakeoil miracle cures, etc. have no place in any public or
private room on PeopleWithMS. Please
take it out of
PeopleWithMS onto an instant messanger.

Transcripts
are maintained for the safety and security of our chatters, just like
any other
major chat site. They allow us to identify
the IP address and location of problem chatters, who
don't
might not belong. When someone reports
misbehavior
in chat, transcripts allow investigation and substantiation of the
accusation.
We don't want to throw anybody out. However, we
also don't want creeps harrassing chatters.

The
Rooms List

PWMS

Main Chat Room

aka
" The Lobby
"

This a main chat room for all
chatters. The best place to start at any time of the day or night. Some
stay in here always.

But now you can head off to another
room, the choices are below.

CoffeeHouse

( rated PG )

Grab some friends, have a
latte! Or kick back with a Cappuccino.

Lounge

( rated R )

Bring your friends in here when
the off-color jokes,
rowdy
discussions, or other topics start offending delicate
sensibilities in other
rooms. ! If
discussion goes XXX, get out of chat and onto IM, or book a hotel.

No Graphics

This
is the place to hang out if your eyes just can't deal with fast-moving
chat text and flashing graphics.
Please turn off Avatars and Emoticons to eliminate flashing and
conserve display space.

Special
Rooms

Special Rooms

Newly Diagnosed

RA's, Hosts, or any concerned
chatter should suggest newly diagnosed chatters head into this quieter,
special purpose room. There
should be no casual or off topic
discussions here => the focus is on the questions, concerns, and
fears of that new person.

Trivia & Games

Organized Triva and Games are held 2
nights a week. However, you can organize games anytime you
want. Or leave a trivia question and play tag.

Women Only

This room is for Women only! It can
be used anytime at all. We also have Women's Night on Wednesday
8PM EST

Men's Only

This room is for Men only! It can
be used anytime at all. We also have Men's Night on Wednesday 8PM
EST (assuming there is anything to talk about)

I've had 4
definite flares with MS since 81 but wasn't dxed
till Nov. 2001. The 1st episode was terrific fatigue and numb feet for
several wks that eventually eased up over several mths then optic
neuritis in 83 in both eyes. Then in 88 vertigo from hell with flipping
vision, it was horrible. Then in 2001 I was under a terrific amount of
stress. Well actually the entire decade had been stressful. Both
parents had died from cancer, got married again, had 2 more children,
personal troubles, etc. & kids were telling me I seemed to be
sleep
walking. Then 1 early morning I had a grand mal seizure & was
taken
to emerg. CT scan shows possible stroke but they want to send me for an
MRI. Later that day neuro walks in to tell me it's not a stroke but I
do have MS. I always suspected I had MS & even said MS at the
same
time he did. So now it's confirmed. (More)

Coordinator
of Room Administrators

JolyRox is
coordinating all Room Administrators Please contact her with any
problems. She may make some suggestions about how to be a more
effective Room Administrator. Work with her she has some very good
ideas. We need Team work! She will help with anything she can when it
comes to helping others in chat.

Norma
is coordinating all chats.
Please contact
her for any changes. All you have to do is look at the schedule for and
find a place that
fits when hosting is good for you. If somebody is
already hosting
then, pop in to support them, and let them know you'll back-up, or
buddy host
with them. Just let her know what you
choose! Norma's email is NORMAJJOHNSTON@SBCGLOBAL.NET

The Chat Schedule breaks things down by day,
and show
the equivalent times in different time zones. Hopefully this
will make it
a bit clearer how an Eastern Standard Time relates to your personal
timezone or
country.

Reading the schedule is easy:
Just click on the day of the week to jump down. and then look
down from your local time zone on top
to the time you are interested in => bold times are when hosts
have volunteered to be present.

Knowing someone is available to provide support at dependable, specific
local
times makes a chat more successful.

Please, if you go in chat and
a host does not answer you right away, please wait, Our hosts
do a 2 hours stretch and need
bathroom time and coffee time. So if they're away right at
the sec you
arrive, be patient, they will come back.

My name is Judy and I go by the
name
of Boomer Girl on chat. I am 57
years old and have been diagnosed with ms since 1979 which makes it 29
years that ms has been with me. I have been married for 34 years and
have 4 children. I quit working in 2004 and I'm now on disability. I
love watching movies, reading and in the summer working with my
flowers, which I never had the time to do before. I have been blessed
so far with being able to live an active life and was able participate
in my children's lives. I have progressive ms and so far can still walk
(although gimpy) and drive. My ms had alway affected my right side,
especially my leg. I have always love exercising so when ms came upon
me I just learn to adapt and change my routine so that I could still
exercise. I always try not to dwell on that which I cannot do anymore
and be oh so thankful for that which I can do. I have ms but
ms does not
have me (More)

RonB has successfully moved into his new digs, and will return to chat next Tuesday, assuming the Cable Guy does his thing !

SEA2006

I'm Sharon (sea2006), and I was dx'd with Chronic Progressive MS in
1989. From the time they started it took five years to get my
diagnosis, but had a lot of problems even before that.

I have a husband of 40 years and two great "kids" - (ages 34 & 37),
and a wonderful little Granddogter who just turned two on the weekend.

I live in a rural area of New Brunswick, Canada where the deer roam
around my backyard and nature is all around me. Birds, racoons, deer,
meese (the plural of moose), the odd fox, and lots of bunnies. (Photos)

PWMS
Welcomes!

Please,
we
have issued an All Points Bulletin for any new chatters
! Come in, ask them to send us their e-mail
addresses at PWMS@PeopleWithMS.com
; it is the only way we can send them out our weekly
newsletter. Also, let them know about your stories and
pictures, and perhaps ask if they'd like to submit one.! A great way to
get instant recognition, by appearing in the newsletter. Most
of us love to know more about each other and see who we chat with. When
no one is here and a new MSER comes in and reads our stories and poems
it helps to read and see how MSers deal with life.

Cooling Equipment Distribution

MSAA provides cooling vests (such as the one
pictured above) to individuals with MS who qualify for the program.

Many people with multiple sclerosis are heat
sensitive. MS research has proven that heat and humidity often
aggravate common MS symptoms. MS research has also proven that cooling
the body can help lessen the negative effects of heat and humidity on a
person with MS.

MSAA's Cooling Equipment Distribution Program is a
highly successful branch of the Equipment Distribution Program. In
association with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA), MSAA has conducted extensive research into the effects of
moderate, controlled cooling on individuals with heat-sensitive MS.
Along with other research studies, results have repeatedly shown that
many individuals with heat-sensitive MS find temporary relief of
certain symptoms by wearing active cooling garments. Among others,
symptom relief may include improvements in energy level, cognitive
processing, and motor function through the use of such cooling devices.

The Cooling Equipment Distribution Program
provides special cooling apparel at no charge to individuals with MS.
"Active Suits" have a separate cooling unit that circulates cool liquid
through a vest and cap worn by the user. "Passive" cooling apparel
includes vests, collars, bandanas, and wristbands that either hold cool
inserts or contain special material that remains cool for up to two
hours.

Cooling Collars help regulate body temperature

Active cooling is considered a therapy and
requires both a doctor's prescription and supervision for usage. Heat
is extracted from the system by re-circulating the fluid through ice.
Clinical research has shown that active cooling systems can
significantly reduce the temperature in certain areas of the body. When
areas of the central nervous system that have been demyelinated are
cooled, the conductivity across the damaged area is greatly enhanced.
This increased conductivity allows more effective transmission of
signals, which can reduce some symptoms.

Passive cooling systems help maintain a cooler
body temperature. These can be used outdoors in hot weather or during
exercise regimens. These passive systems do not reduce body
temperature, and are not considered a therapy. They do provide relief
from heat for short periods of time.

To Apply for This Program

Step 1: Click
here
to view the Cooling CatalogStep 2:Download
the Program Application.
Submit just one application form to cover your selections.Step 3: Please complete the
forms online, print, and sign the forms.Step 4: Mail the completed
forms and any necessary additional documentation (see
the Program Application) to:

Norma
alerted us to this important National Multiple Sclerosis Society
Program; Direct
Assistance. This
provides durable medical equipment and other financial aid to those
with demonstrated need . Program details vary by chapter.
However, the following will give you an idea of what might be
available. Check with your local chapter ( Find
Your Chapter ) if you think you might
be eligible. A number of
our chatters have had luck with this program.

Direct
Assistance Now
Available

The
National MS
Society, Michigan Chapter is
offering new financial services to address the needs of
individuals
with multiple sclerosis and their families.

The goal of Direct
Assistance is to provide
financial assistance to enhance the quality of life and help
individuals with MS achieve their highest level of independence.

This program helps
chapter members with MS obtain financial assistance in the areas of:

Transportation
- to and from medical appointments ONLY

Home
Care -
short-term personal care and homemaker/chore services. This service
offers assistance in the home with tasks that individuals living with
MS are having difficulty completing (meal preparation, light
housekeeping, laundry, bathing, and dressing).

Respite
Care - care when the usual caregiver is temporarily
unavailable because of travel, illness or other demands.

Short-term
counseling -
counseling for those facing unexpected challenges as a result of their
MS. Limited counseling services are available through in-person and
telephone sessions.

Medical
equipment - the purchase or repair of a variety of
equipment such as wheelchairs, walkers and bath equipment.

Equipment
Loan Closet - for people with MS to borrow, free of
charge, equipment that they need for a short period of time.

Home
& auto modifications - such as lifts, ramps or
hand controls.

Window
air conditioners - limited to no more than one window
unit per year with a minimum of five years between requests. This
service is offered from April 1st - September 30th
of each year.

Cooling
vest
- limited to no more thatn one cooling vest per year with a minimum of
five years between requests. This service is offered from April
1st - September 30th of each year.

Emergency
response systems - ensures that adults living at home
get quick assistance whenever needed - 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

All assistance is
based on financial need and
provided according to a sliding fee scale. To obtain assistance, the
Chapter requires:

A verification
of diagnosis.

Completion of a
confidential financial assistance application

Some
items/services also require a physician's prescription

For more
information or to apply for financial assistance call
800-344-4867.

Services
provided depending on available resources. Advance notice required for
all services.

Partial
support underwritten by the R.M. Gerstacker Foundation.

Summer
Cooling Ice Vest Info

"I
Dropped My Chicken Soup:

Stories
about Multiple Sclerosis"

So I want to apologize. I
haven't been keeping
up on on book updates. I've been to preoccupied with my own health,
which has been having a few issues and that really hasn't been fair of
me. And once again I do want to thank everyone for the Anyways I'm
ready to concentrate on book updates

Now on to the book update.
The book is going
over fairly well. (But don't worry if you haven't purchased your book
yet, or you want another copy there are still books for sale. Just go
to my websitewww.msstories.zoomshare.com for ordering infomation.)

I've had some really
positive reviews which
I've posted on my website www.msstories.zoomshare.com. I've also had a
lot of people tell me the book hit very close to home, which is what I
wanted. I want everyone to know that they are not alone!!! But I am
sorry if it was hard for anyone to read. I hope that you also found it
informative!!!

Since October I've also had a number of book signings, 1 radio
interview and a couple of articles in the news paper. Although I
haven't posted copies of the newspaper articles. There are pictures
from my book signings and the radio interview. And I will get the
newspaper articles on there shortly!!

I love feedback on the book both positive and constructive negative
comments.

I hope everyone is happy
and holding steady in their health!!!

Take care!!!

Rebeka
www.myspace.com/msstories

It is also available at
www.amazon.com OR www.target.com OR
www.totallywell.com OR
www.wellnessbooks.com OR www.target.com OR www.bordersstores.com

Woman's night & Men's
night!

Wednesday's we have Woman's chat in our WOMAN'S
ROOM

We'll have a Men's chat at same time when there is a subject of interest.

We do this
for one hour from 8PM till 9PM EST. If anyone wants to stay in the woman's
room for longer, feel free to stay. We have had such a great
time it seems for some it's not long enough. Then we rejoin in the
main chat room as always.

BobbyGene
has pastoral training with the Assembly of God and has offered to host
a chat broadly oriented towards prayer as a support method.
As he has stated, "In my training I've had to learn the in's
and outs of many various religions and I believe we could keep the
focus on support and prayer when needed."

We
are providing a special interest room for
those interested in prayer of whatever fashion, and focussed discussion
of prayer as a support mechanism by those so inclined.

Cooking Instructions
1. Season the turkey strips with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the turkey and brown on all sides, about 6 to 7 minutes total. Set the turkey on a plate and keep warm.
2. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until they are soft, about 7 more minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
3. Add the sour cream, tomatoes, Worcestershire and hot sauces. Combine well and heat thoroughly. Add the turkey and any juices. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
4. Divide the egg noodles among 4 plates so that they form a small ring on the plate. Spoon the stroganoff mixture into the center of each ring and serve.

Cooking Instructions 1. In a blender, combine the mango and water and puree at high speed until smooth. Thin with more water if desired, and add sugar and lemon juice to taste. Blend again and serve in tall glasses over ice with a wedge of lime.

CAKE : combine all ingredients except the chocolate
chips in large mixing bowl. Blend, then beat 4 minutes at medium
speed on electric mixer, Reserve 2/3 cup of Chipits for frosting.
Stir remaining Chipits into the batter. Turn batter into a 12-cup bundt
pan, sprayed with Pam. BAKE at 350F for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a
toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan, then
remove by turning out on wire rack to cool completely.

HealthyEating

'support group'

Healthy Eating support
group has started. We added 3 pages to our web site. You can find a
print out journal, recipes, and check out the exercise page. Please
join Shelly and Norma in there weekly. Everyone needs extra support .
Bring idea's! Join us in getting back on a positive way of
eating.

Some
of you have met Rod, one of our Florida chatters.
He has been also been known as our DJ ! He has a very large collection
of music.
Rod has offered to do his best to find any song you're looking for, and
email it to
you. He needs the obvious: Name of singer ! Name of song ! He's not a
mind
reader LOL ! You can email him your requests
at: LINGRAM1@TAMPABAY.RR.COM

Hello. My name is Audrey and I am the artist here at Busy
Bees Nursery. I have been creating these precious reborn babies for about 2 years, and I truly have a love for what I do. It is very rewarding, and I enjoy making people happy with my Reborn Babies! It is such a joy to create and reborn each baby, as they seem to develop their very own personalities and characteristics.

We're
making up a new Famous People Page and we need your
input . . . .

So far, we
have some semi-famous people. Not
really a lot, and not really terrifically famous. Kind of a
sad excuse for
a list. You're sure to know the name of one or more people
that are way
more famous. Send us the
name of any well known person with MS, and
perhaps a one liner about them: PWMS@PeopleWithMS.com

If
anyone wants to host a chat Birthday Party, we provide the room, we
clean up! We all have birthdays, some have
Anniversary's. Help make a friend feel very important. We are
all important in chat! Throw a
surprise party for a chat buddy. Thank your best friend for being there
for
you! He or she deserves a party!

If
your birthday is not on our list please tell Linda when in chat! Linda
has been really helping with getting this all organized.

Been a real bad day
Ainít been a good week
The lifeboat Iím floatin in
Sprung a leak

Nasty circumstance
Has fallen in to my lap
Gonna keep on sinkin
ĎTil I can fill the gap

Sirenís warning came much too late
Next thing Iím driftin at sea
All I can do is shoot off my signal gun
Distance and time will hold the key

Shouldíve paid attention
To the shot fired across my bow
Didnít seem like much when I hit the iceberg
But look at me now

As Iím driftin down
To the bottom of the sea
Can only think of a couple of things
I mightíve done differently

Probably shouldíve
Relearned to swim
Instead of just hangin on
To the first thing floatin by

Shouldnít panic
When things go dim
Distance and time will make it all seemÖ
Like there was a point

Cast away the things that weigh ya down
Otherwise you will sink just like a stone
A safety device is always nice
But youíre better off, if ya can make it on your own

Thereís a possibility
Be it ever so remote
If we can patch these holes
The thing may float

I hung on to that notion
Though it began to slip
Finally from the frozen deep
I did abandon ship

As I made my way back to the surface
I wasnít sure if Iíd drown, or maybe freeze
Every day I get further away, putting
Distance and time between me andÖ
Stormy seas

THANK YOU KEN
AKA L8GR8DB8

THE LONELY SIDE OF TOWN

The skyís a dull gray
Itís another cold day
More than leaves have fallen to the ground
Theyíve all lost their way
Now they will stay
On the lonely side of town

The 3 am crowd
Tattered yet proud
Await a bus thatís nowhere to be found
No busses run that time of night
Itís just another depressing sight
On the lonely side, the lonely side,
The lonely side of town

You ask for spare change
And I wonder are ya deranged
A dollar sends you on your way
Iíd like to help you
But there ainít much that I can do
Not a word I can say
So I must look away

I will be careful thereís no doubt
But my luck may run out
And Iíll find that Iíve fallen out of bounds
Itís my one greatest fear
That Iíll wind up right here
The lonely side of town
The lonely side, the lonely side, lonely side of town.

Our objective is to
provide an informal,
supportive site for
people seeking on-line information about Multiple
Sclerosis. We
aren't doctors, we aren't experts. We just live it
everyday. We
formed this site to share what we have learned, provide a focal point
for
exchange of information, and give back to the
community.

Support is a very big
word when it comes to
MS. Doctors
can only tell you so much during an office visit. Leaving
unanswered
questions, concerns and issues. People with any disease can
often
learn
best from each other. To this end we provide a chat forum to
share
information and suggestions, posting of the latest news, and links to
authoritative sources of information.

There are many
informative sites out
there. Visit them
all! You can never have enough information. We
do not intend to compete with any other sites.
Like coffee
shops,
each has it's own unique atmosphere and clientele. There can
never be
enough of them.

Our
chat is open for
anything that
has to do with MS. Some topics are not pleasant. But need to be talked
about. If
you have a problem, no matter what it is, chances are there is someone
in chat
that can help you. The one thing that PWMS will not accept is being
laughed at
for any MS problem. We expect all chatters to be considerate of
others.

We
have appointed JolyRox Coordinator of RAs. Our current list of room administrators is:Norma, LFShaw, Debby, Linda-NV, MS_Kitty70, JackIL, Aileen, Soporific, Pixie_Dust, Barry, and Sumo58! . All host at scheduled times
and frequently chat off-hosting hours as well. They can
help you if you need help.

Chat Etiquette Reminder

Please make a
point to welcome any new chatter that comes in our room.
Introduce yourself. Ask if there is anything special they
want to ask
about, know about. Don't ignore the new chatter.
Offer them coffee
and a muffin. Make them feel at home. Don't keep
chattering about
peripheral MS stuff with others, or off-topic stuff.

Just keep in
mind the one rule we have: nobody
gets to play Doctor in
chat. What we mean by that
is; don't go diagnosing chatters ailments or recommending
medications.
Share your experiences, and what any of the drugs have done for
you. Don't
encourage the idea that any medication is a miracle cure. Or dismiss
any, or
all, medicines as doing nothing. Even the well
known medications
have a wide range of effectiveness. The effectiveness of
non-traditional
and alternative medicines is even less certain. So
talk about your
experiences, factual studies and medical trials. Offer your
opinions with
care, and never recommend. Third hand medical testimonials
from a friend
of your auto mechanic's wife aren't welcome, unless
they are really funny.

Also
keep in mind that Laws and
Health Care options also vary widely both within countries and across
the
globe. So be sensitive to the personal situations and
tribulations
chatters face. Don't rub in how great things are for
you.

Between the laughs, a serious
note:We are a support
chat. With that said, we can only help by listening; none of us are
professionals.
In our years of chatting with MSers online, one of the most common
problems is
depression. This is a very serious problem. We do feel
sometimes
just being a
good friend, listening, and kidding around can help. And
sometimes
is just the right thing to turn
the a bad mood around. But when things just don't appear to
be
getting any better in
a reasonable amount of time, and chat is just a temporary fix, it is
time to get professional help. Many times it's as simple as a
medication change. Or something else.

I have not told many,
but when my daughter was dx'd 12 years
ago, I had to learn as much as I could. I wanted to know what is the
worst case scenario, and what
is the best with MS. What courses could it take? How likely
one versus the other? I wanted no
more surprises. Having my one and only daughter dx'd with MS
was enough of a
surprise.I
went to Gaylord Rehab for a very long seminar on MS. It
was the mental problems that
really got most in a lot of troubles, because they were not ever taken
seriously. I have seen this many times in my years
online.
If you see someone in chat that seems headed down this road,
try
to cheer them up, focus on the positive, and give them some
suggestions. If they come back just as bad off, try again. If
they keep coming back, let them know that they might be in need of
some support beyond what any of us can provide in chat.

So,
About Our Chat: We
try to maintain a positive, upbeat attitude. We may have MS,
but
MS doesn't have us. It's not the focal point of our existence,
it's just one part. So if there's a problem, no need
to moan
and groan - it just needs solving. Go over it,
around
it, blow it up, or joke about it. We won't ignore
somebody's
problem because it's gross, unseemly, or offends somebody else's
sensibilities. We'll help figure out a solution. If
somebody want's to wallow in their problem, we're not going to be too
sympathetic.

Don't feel bad if
you visit our chat and
don't like things:The
folks in it, what's talked about, the limited avatars
and emoticons, the sounds, or anything else. We don't have
room
for every MSer in the universe, and don't claim to cater to every
taste. If you want something different, we
encourage you to
search
out another chat room. There are chats for
those that want
to wallow in pity, moan and groan. sing songs on a voice chats,
fantasy-date, or do whatever comes after that on web cam chats. If you
don't
find what you need, or think you can do better, we encourage you to go
buy your own web server, start your own website, and run your
own
chat to
cater to that unmet need. Please
let us know about your site and
chat, so we can direct any like-minded folks your way.